. Family problems handled, everything fine 
Hestia
Day 14, Monday, April 20th
Open my eyes to the Sun and the first thing I think is, "It's 420 today". The second thing I think is "I'm so dried out I could spit sand." So I ooze out of bed and to the sink in the shower room and drink like a camel - a two humper! After a gallon or two, I hack up a tumbleweed and go for a cup of coffee or ;five. Ah! Now I'm feeling lots better. A pot of coffee and coffee with my pot I human up a bit and hit the streets. I'm on my way to the Paradox for the start of the 420 crawl. But first I go past Freeland and talk about the weather... I make it to the Paradox by 11: Boner & wife are already there getting a bite to eat, a tosty I think.
I go to the bud tender and get a gram of Haze and a cup of coffee, then go outside and sit on the bench and light up. After about 10 min. Cattails & Hubby, AzLaker & wife came in, so I got up and went inside with the others, sat at a big table and AZ Laker lit up some Pink Kush. This was some Bitchen' smoke, I loved it. An excellent stoned feeling.
After everyone finished we all got up and started towards the Home Grown Fantasy Catails led us rite to it . (when you visit there, be sure to check out the bathroom). Upon arrival, I went inside and bought a Casies and a gram of cheese(.took a Tour of the can ) Yes ,this smoke is everything everyone said about it, most excellent! In the back room Liquid Sword, Red Eye Indian, Tri De, newbino & Twitcherino and others of course, I'm so sorry if I forget anyone, but I'm so Buzzed! Well it's crowded in here and besides the wonderful weather is calling my name. So its outside to pipe up, outside sitting at the tables are Couch, Mister X, Chili, JO, Chris, Worsall, AzLaker & wife, cattails & hubby, twitch & Family, Boner & wife, pirate Raff & woman & others. Wo hoo, high again. We all sat outside at the tables and just gabbed and bullshitted each other while acquiring another brilliant buzz.. What a great way to spend part of the 420. Sun & fun! After an hour or so it's time to go and get some food, the munchies have hit. So after walking around a bit with cat and hubby I take off and head for the Central Station area. I stop along the way and get some Pom Fritts and a pop. Thick hot and crunchy, just perfect. I finish my snack, turn the corner and there it is, Ta DA, the 420 coffee shop. What an idea! All this way to Amsterdam to celebrate a holiday that originated in California, go figure. I'm all for it. Anything for a buzz, what can I say?
It's about 3:00 or so when I walk in the door, go to the bar, get my lady grey and a gram of SSH. I have my 420 bag ready to go, it's a thing of beauty, full rich,& fine!
What's this? It looks as if here's something going on in the back room. Lights, cameras & someone answering questions. So I ask the bud tender what's happening. He says that it's an Italian television station interviewing the man who owns the 420. This guy owns the 420? I had no idea! This gentleman and I have had 1 or 2 quick talks during my visit. I never knew who he was, other than just a nice man. What is his name?
They're, all done by 3:30 and the back room is mostly open so I grab a a corner table and get comfortable, and ready to party.let's go go go!!
Suddenly, Bam! Everyone's showing up at once. Grabbing drinks, bags, seats. Saying hi to everyone or being introduced to new arrivals. At the table where I am sitting are Chilli, Fishing Bob & Pal, Twitcherino & Newbeino. AS everyone is buzzing up I toss my bag out on the table with the announcement of "Let's roll this puppy up". But How? Now, Tiitcherino & have been complementing Fishing Bob on his stellar rolling prowess, just beautiful spiff. So I ask him if he'll roll up a monster joint! And with a little persavation Fishing Bob said yes, Cool. But also that a good idea would be to go across the street to the little smoke shop and get some big, pre-rolled cone papers so I did (.the nice man in the shop also gave me free candy!) what a town! Because there was so much smoke piled out on the table that there was more than enough for 3-4 huge doobies, also the pile was getting bigger by the moment due to everyone at the table throwing in more bags to roll up. It looked like the hills of high.
So, while Fishing Bob began the construction of superdubie, Twitcherino, Newbino, Chilli & Pal got out their grinders and began crunching it all up. .
Siting back down with my goodies ' Twitcherino & Newbino grabbed the cones and began loading them up, by the Goddess it was awsome! They were really things of beauty. But they paled in comparison to Fishing Bob's joint. It was just perfect. We all agreed that we had never seen Better. After this I stood up and waved 2 of the huge cones and invited the fine folks of the forum to partake of this bounty. (I think there are photos somewhere) And everyone there graciously accepted. What a cool way to spend the 420...warmth, friendship, laughter. I'll always think of this time in a golden high! Like the spilling of afternoon sun through yellow curtains.
Ah, sweet memories.But after a few hours of fine high fellowship, I was ready to start moving towards the Nes. But first food, next door for a Veg pizza and a fresh strawberry tart, good as usual. Then I'm off to the next 420 meet & greet at the "Nes".
This place is already rockin' when I hit the door. Let's put it this way, there were so many Vapo bags going around it looked like Macy's Thanksgiving parade. So, by the time I stagger back to the pool area I've been vapod, volcanoed, shotgunned & handed a joint.
I melt into a chair and a cassie magically appears in front of me, bless you! And then a Vapo bag.1...2...3... And so on, Enough! I have a boat trip. And I need to get my group together somehow. Help! Thank you Lemming! Without your kind, kind assistance it wouldn't have happened. I've never in my life ever seen anybody herd a group of stoners as well as Lemming, he has a terriers tenacity and a bull dogs determination. I salute you Lemming, you da man!.
When it was 7:30 or so we all got grouped together, Lemming & wife, Chilly, Twitcherino, Newbino, Pirate Raff & woman & myself and headed to Boom Chicago in Ledeinsplein square to meet Capt. Ingrid fro the St. Nicks Boat tours. We made it in plenty of time, even with a few photo ops thrown in. Capt. Ingrid was there and ready to go. So we took off walking and in about 5 min we were at the side of an canal and tied to it was a baby barge boat. Neat!
So we all board and go for a boat trip non parallel. Drinks were poured and Joints lit up. Late afternoon sun still shining. A completely different angle view of Amsterdam. Charming, simply charming, all of it. Big canals & small alike. Twitcherino smiling & waving at the ladies in the Red Light District. The Lights coming on on the barges, the wind blowing in your face, making your cheeks pink with evening chill ,beautiful.
When we passed the diamond exchange the talk shifted to diamonds for a bit. The question was asked if anyone had ever bought a diamond or diamonds there for anyone special. No one had bought from the exchange. Someone asked Capt. Ingrid, a pretty young thing, if anyone had ever bought her one. She stated somewhat resignedly that "no man has ever bought her a diamond". At which point, Twitcherino gallantly said, "miss, then the men of Amsterdam are fools".
Later in the cruise I asked Capt. Ingrid what her thoughts were on being a boat Capt. in Amsterdam and her replay was, " I've done this for 16 years whenever I could weather permitting and every trip I've taken on this little barge is different. It changes constantly yet always remains the same. If I'm lucky, I'll continue to be able to do this until the day after I die. Because there is nowhere on earth like Amsterdam" What a beautiful sentiment. It was a fine experience and I highly recommend it.
Afterwards I was tired & crashing so I bid everyone a good night, walked back to the square and got a cab back to the room. A cup of coffee from the kitchen, go to my room, stuff a pipe full of SSH fro 420, turn on the tube, kick back and call it a night.
